After tedious research and the collection of thousands of samples, officials have concluded there is no trace of plum pox in South Carolina.

Plum pox could be a potential disaster for South Carolina, which is second only to California in annual production of peaches. It is the world's most devastating viral disease to stone fruit and the only way to stop it is to kill infected trees.

Clemson University inspectors collected a total of 35,628 peach leaves across the state and shipped them to the U.S. Department of Agriculture for testing. To the relief of inspectors and peach farmers, no plum pox was found.

“Early detection is so important,” said Steven Long, assistant director of the Department of Plant Industry at Clemson University. “If you catch it early, only a few acres might be quarantined. But if it gets well established, you may be talking thousands of acres.”